Larry Sanders - Columbia wants to know your favorites (1 Viewer)

[Gord Lacey]

Please keep in mind Gary Shandling wants this to be a "best of" and Sony has tried talking him into more season sets, but it hasn't worked. Maybe, just maybe, Shandling will see that there's still interest in owning the entire series and he'll bless more season sets.

Gord

 

[TravisR]

Thanks for clarifying, Gord. The info sucks but at least I know.

How much control does Garry Shandling really have over the show? In other words, if the best-of sold really well (which is fairly unlikely) can't Sony just say "Screw you, we want to make money." and release the seasons. I know studios don't want to cross guys like Speilberg by releasing things that they don't approve but who's worried about pissing off Garry Shandling?

 

[David Rain]

Wait. GARRY is the one who doesn't want season sets released ? If this is true then he should be b****slapped.

 

[Alan Lee UK]

Just as well I recorded it all from ITV4 last year.

 

[Steve...O]

Thanks for the info. Interesting that Gary nixed season sets. Maybe he'd rather be remembered for those post Sanders masterpieces called TOWN & COUNTRY (I should sue him for wasting 2 hours of my life) and WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM both of which are on DVD.

Sony could bump up sales of Sanders sets by adding, as bonus features, the various Rip Torn mug shots and arrest videos that have been produced in recent years. Nobody takes a better mug shot and throws a better tamtrum than old Artie.

Steve

 

[Will_B]

Maybe he just knew that the only way to make his 8 hour documentary was if it was accompanied by a few actual episodes. So he pushed for a best of, and he got it, and he got to make his supplement masterpiece. Once it is released, there's no reason why he won't say "ok, let the whole series out next."

Anyway that's my theory and hope.

 

[TravisR]

I wouldn't be so bummed about the lack of the show on DVD if it was still running on HBO. They haven't run it for years (I'd assume they don't have the rights anymore) and the only other time I've seen it run was in syndication where they edited for content and time.

 

[TonyD]

well tv shows sent me an update for a new website with info in the dvd

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevide...erscollection/

i guess i'll buy this to help a push for full season sets.

 

[Mike*SC]

I will buy anything with "The Larry Sanders Show" on it, so I will be buying this the day it comes out. But I must say, eight hours of newly produced material is odd for a set that contains probably about 9.5 hours of the series! Although I'm guessing that that number includes some commentaries, which add up to "extra materials" time.

 

[Neil_Duffy]

'Just as well I recorded it all from ITV4 last year.'

Me too.

As much as I will be all over this new set - I really hope that they re-master & restore the picture. The ITV4 screenings in 2006 (even with ad breaks) is better than the R1 Season 1 release back from 2002.

 

[Steve...O]

I looked at Sony's website and didn't see a listing of episodes. Did I miss it or has Sony not yet released the list?

 

[David Rain]

If they're going to do a "best of" then they should at least concentrate on eps from the season that haven't already been released. Or perhaps just include the first ep from the first season to set it up. There's no reason to include other eps from the first season. Shades of Mad About You.

 

[TravisR]

Ron posted the press release and it has the episodes listed.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...d.php?t=251534

 

[Monty B]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31476

"The horrifying rumors are Sony Pictures cannot lock up rights to the highly-integrated music featured in loads of “Sanders” episodes - and we may never see another season-box of the series."

 

[Michael Allred]

I wonder how much money was spent on producing the supplements for this "best of" set and how that money could have been used towards simply making a "complete second season?"

I've always thought that "The Larry Sanders Show" was ahead of its time and the DVD release of the first season, the same. Obviously there are similarities between this show and "The Office," "Extras," etc and I believe, if given a chance, America could re-discover "Sanders." As some have pointed out, the original release of the first season was grossly overpriced for a product that very little was put into by the studio and with the show being ahead of its time, it's no wonder it didn't sell like hot cakes. Now with similar shows doing very well, the studio should capitalize.

HBO can start (as someone else suggested) by putting the show "On Demand" so it can gain some exposure and interest and let it build from there. Market it towards the folks who watch "The Office" and so on. Build from that and put out a second season (and wisely re-price the first season.)

The "demand" for best of TV sets is minimal to say the least. The majority of consumers now demand (and are used to) complete season sets not bits from here and there. I do not see how this package for "Larry Sanders" will do any good.

 

[TravisR]

HBO doesn't own the show so they can't run it even if they want to.

 

[Jeff*H]

I believe Sony licenses the rights to Larry Sanders to HBO for a period of time that has since expired.

 

[Steve...O]

Bingo. The 8 hours of extras is an impressive total but I'd rather have the 16 episodes that could fill up those 8 hours. The Sanders seasons were relatively short (16 episodes or so in earlier seasons; later seasons were even less).

To be fair to Sony, I don't know what music rights issues there are and the costs associated with them. If there is a particular performance that's causing an issue it could possibly be snipped without hurting the episode too much. After all, these were comedy driven shows, not music driven.

Steve